Minneapolis, MN
Indigenous activist advocating for re-use of 2 Minneapolis properties to help those struggling with opioids
Indigenous activist lays out vision to reclaim land for memorial garden, treatment hub
A thin stretch of land along East Franklin Avenue in south Minneapolis is fenced in and overgrown.
Several ‘no trespassing- MNDOT’ signs hang prominently around the one-and-a-half-acre site.
“Well, right now we’re looking at a bunch of concrete and light poles that we have put in here,” he says. “Because they don’t want an encampment to develop here again.”
But where some might see blight, Indigenous activist Mike Forcia sees opportunity.
“I would like to see this a memorial garden for all those we’ve lost to the opioid epidemic that our community’s been suffering from,” he explains. “We could have all of our community here selling their beadwork, selling their wild rice, selling their artwork.”
At least two encampments have been set up and cleared here in recent years, sometimes known as ‘The Wall of Forgotten Natives.’
At a nearby overpass, there are groups of people experiencing homelessness and hypodermic needles on the ground.
“We’re not dealing with homelessness and addiction,” Forcia declares. “You go under this bridge, there’s at least a hundred people there right now, and the shelter is right there, 100 feet away.”
Forcia says he’s contacted MnDOT in hopes the agency would turn over the property to the Native American community.
In a statement, MnDOT says it’s open to the proposal and is exploring the idea with tribal organizations and local government.
“You know, I’ve lost quite a lot of friends due to it,” says Sanchez Brown. “It’s heartbreaking.”
Brown says she’s had her own struggles with substance use disorder.
She hopes the memorial space or garden could be the start of something new for the area.
“I think it would be beautiful to see,” Brown says. “I’d actually like to see a lot more happen to Franklin as far as buildings remodeled, things like that.”
But Forcia also wants a land-back of East Phillips Park.
He’s calling the proposal to re-use the six-and-a-half-acre park, including the gym, ‘The Red Road Village Plan.’
“Right now, if we close down the encampments, we could use that spot as a navigation center,” Forcia says. “Similar to what they had a few years ago at the Red Lake apartment building.”
He envisions a treatment center and a shelter at the gym for people experiencing homelessness.
The plan would include a tiny home village with culturally based wraparound services, including addiction treatment and employment services.
However, the bar for the Red Road Village project appears to be high.
An MPRB spokesperson notes East Phillips Park is a thriving neighborhood park that’s part of a master planning project.
She says in order to dispose of the land, the board would have to determine the property was no longer needed for a park purpose and a district judge would have to sign off on the sale.
That’s according to the Minneapolis City Charter.
But Forcia says he’ll keep on advocating for both projects.
“We’re not asking the city for any money, we’re not asking the park board for any money,” he says. “We’re asking for the land back. Once you give us the land back, we’ll take care of our own people.”
Minneapolis, MN
Between Minneapolis And Lake Superior Is The ‘Agate Capital Of The World’ With Cozy Charm And A State Park – Islands
For anyone eager to see Minnesota’s state gem, the Lake Superior agate, there’s one destination in central Minnesota not to miss. Moose Lake is a great stop on a road trip up north on Interstate 35 from the Twin Cities to Lake Superior, the cleanest lake in America. The city is also known for its agates, outdoor fun, and water activities at Moose Lake State Park, a hub for outdoor recreation, as well as friendly independent businesses that lend it a relaxed, small-town charm.
Agates are a colorful type of microcrystalline chalcedony quartz, and according to Explore Minnesota Tourism, Moose Lake is known as the Agate Capital of the World. The city is home to the largest Lake Superior agate, located at First National Bank — it weighs 108 pounds. You can view geological displays at the Moose Lake State Park Visitor Center, or even try your luck picking agates at the Soo Line Pit. A permit is required, and it’s best to go after rainfall. Visit in July for Agate Days, an annual festival with a gem and mineral show featuring over 100 vendors, as well as an agate “stampede,” where you may find your own treasure in the gravel.
What to do at Moose Lake State Park
Just a few minutes from town, iMoose Lake State Park was established in 1971 and is a top spot for outdoor recreation in the area. After exploring the rock and mineral exhibits at the visitor center, head outside to enjoy fun activities around the park. You may see wildlife such as white-tailed deer, otters, and butterflies, or birds like loons, waterfowl, bluebirds, and swallows. The park is centered around the peaceful Echo Lake, where you can get out on the water for a paddle. Boat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available if you don’t have your own gear. You can also go for a dip at the lake’s beach or cast a line from the accessible fishing pier, where you may reel in northerns, panfish, largemouth bass, or walleyes.
Hiking is also popular, with about 5 miles of hiking trails through woodland, ponds, hills, and fields. The 1.5-mile Rolling Hills Trail is a great pick for spotting wildlife, while the 0.9-mile West Echo Loop offers beautiful lake views. Keep an eye out for trumpeter swans and other birds on the 1.2-mile Wildlife Pond Trail. Although there are no groomed trails in winter, you can still snowshoe and backcountry ski here.
If you’d like to spend a night under the stars, stay at Moose Lake State Park campground. There are 33 drive-in sites, including 20 electric sites, 2 walk-in sites, and a group campground that can sleep up to 45 campers. Showers and flush toilets are available from Memorial Day to Labor Day, while vault toilets are available year-round. All campsites have a picnic table and a fire ring.
Discover Moose Lake’s small-town charm
One of Moose Lake’s highlights is its welcoming atmosphere and relaxed pace of life. See a movie at the Historic Lake Theater, a friendly, family-owned movie theater that has operated at its current location since 1937. Lazy Moose Grill and Gifts serves breakfast favorites and tasty dishes like burgers, sandwiches, and wild rice meatloaf, earning it a 4.4-star rating on Google with over 1,400 reviews. Kick back and relax with a beer at Moose Lake Brewing Company, where the paio overlooks the lake. The swimming beach at Moosehead Lake is a great way to spend more time outdoors — the beach is sandy and shallow, making it a good option for families with kids.
Moose Lake is located about two-thirds of the way between Minneapolis and the outdoor lake town of Duluth, a port city on Lake Superior. Duluth International Airport is the closest major airport, while Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), the best airport in North America for passenger satisfaction, is about a 2-hour drive away and offers the most flight options. Having a car is the easiest way to explore the area, though Jefferson Lines buses stop in Moose Lake along the route between the Twin Cities and Duluth.
The scene of the crash at 26th Avenue North and Emerson Avenue North in Minneapolis. (FOX 9)
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – A Minneapolis woman was sentenced for her role in a deadly crash that killed two women and injured two other people in December 2024.
READ MORE: Minneapolis woman charged in fatal high-speed crash faces additional charges
Woman sentenced in fatal Minneapolis crash
Big picture view:
Prosecutors say Teniki Steward drove a Buick Enclave into a bus shelter and a Ford Explorer after speeding through a red light.
Both of the women in the Ford Explorer died in the crash. They were identified as 53-year-old Ester Jean Fulks and 57-year-old Rose Elaine Reece.
During the crash, the Ford Explorer went off the road, injuring a 17-year-old boy who was waiting for a school bus.
The passenger in Steward’s vehicle also suffered injuries.
Minneapolis police said that Steward was also injured in the crash.
Steward pleaded guilty to multiple murder charges.
What they’re saying:
During the sentencing, the daughter of one of the victims had a statement read on her behalf:
“There’s nothing that can truly prepare you for the moment your entire world is taken from you. Losing my mom has left a pain in my heart that words will never be able to explain.”
What’s next:
Minnesota law requires that Steward serves at least two-thirds of her sentence, a bit under eight-and-a-half years, in prison.
Fatal Emerson and 26th crash
The backstory:
According to the criminal complaint, through surveillance videos from the scene of the crash and witnesses, investigators learned that Steward, driving the Buick Enclave, had been driving at a high rate of speed northbound on Emerson Avenue North.
Before the fatal crash, Steward sped through the intersection of Emerson Avenue North and Broadway Avenue North, running a red light and nearly causing a crash, the charges said.
Steward then continued to speed northbound down Emerson Avenue North, and ran another red light at 26th Avenue North, hitting the Ford Explorer, which was traveling eastbound, according to the complaint.
The Ford Explorer had been at the intersection of Emerson and 26th on a green light.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty shared the following statement:
“This was an egregious act that took Rose and Esther’s lives and injured a child waiting to go to school at a bus stop. Ms. Steward was driving at extremely dangerous speeds on city streets and narrowly avoided multiple collisions before the incident occurred. Third-degree murder charges are appropriate to hold her accountable and protect our community.”
The Source: This story uses information gathered from an Olmsted County court appearance and previous FOX 9 reporting.
A motorcyclist is dead after an early morning crash in Minneapolis Friday morning.
The Minnesota State Patrol said that at 1:20 a.m., a Suzuki Motorcycle going north on I-35W at Johnson Street hit the left side of the median guard rail.
The motorcycle continued north for about another quarter mile before coming to a rest on the right-hand side.
State Patrol said the rider came to rest on the left shoulder. He was later identified as 21-year-old Andrew James Neuberger.
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